Floods from Ian devastated many Florida communities but most homeowners do not have flood insurance
Representatives from dozens of insurance companies will be available to speak with residents at 1 p.m. Oct. 3 at Port Charlotte Mall and JetBlue Park in Fort Myers.
How flood insurance helps during hurricanes?
Director of Corporate Communications Mark Friedlander, breaks down the importance of flood insurance and how flood insurance is mitigating costs for people impacted by Ian.
Many Floridians are trying to rebuild their lives after Hurricane Ian swept through their state.
Ian devastated parts of the Sunshine State, with storm surge and rainfall causing floods that wiped out many homes.
"This type of storm could ruin families, just absolutely devastate them financially," said Mark Friedlander, the director of communications at the Insurance Information Institute.
Satellite imagery of flooded neighborhood in North Port, Florida on Sept. 30, 2022. (Satellite image (c) 2022 Maxar Technologies / Getty Images)
"We're very concerned that there are so many homeowners that don't have flood insurance right now," he added.
According to Friedlander, only 13-15% of Florida homeowners have flood insurance. In areas of metro Orlando, the number drops to below 5%.
Florida homeowners impacted by Ian: 'Our lives have been turned upside down'
St Augustine, Florida residents Nicole and Todd tell FOX Weather’s Katie Byrne that everything in the downstairs portion of their home has been destroyed by Ian.
Friedlander recommends that all Americans include flood insurance in their financial protection package, as 90% of U.S. disasters involve flooding.
He also advised Americans to have annual insurance check-ups to review their coverage with their insurance agent to make sure they have the coverage they need.
People walk on a flooded street at a trailer park following Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Florida, US, on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. (Eva Marie Uzcategui / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
In Florida, representatives from dozens of insurance companies will be working with local residents who were impacted by Ian to help them begin the process of recovery.
These representatives will be available to speak in person at 1 p.m. Oct. 3 at Port Charlotte Mall and JetBlue Park in Fort Myers.